KISSIMMEE — Talk of new federal pesticide prohibitions has some farmers concerned, and state agricultural extension officials say a compromise between environmental and economic considerations is needed.

New U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations are scheduled to go into effect Feb. 1. They are aimed at protecting endangered species by forbidding the use of harmful chemicals in areas where they live.

Pat Cockrell, director of commodity activities for the Florida Farm Bureau Federation, said he believes the introduction of the regulations may mean farmers will be asked to make an unfair financial sacrifice.

By prohibiting some chemicals, the agency could make farming less profitable, he said.

''You need to look at the environmental side as well as the cost/benefit analysis of what you give up,'' Cockrell said.

Dr. Wayne Marion, wildlife specialist with the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, said he believes Florida will petition the federal government to be allowed to develop its own regulations.

California already has received permission to do so, he said.

Representatives of agricultural interests, environmental groups and the EPA probably will sit down and negotiate a compromise, he said.

Marion said the preliminary maps that identify the locations of wildlife are too general and could lead to some pesticides being prohibited in whole counties or entire areas of the state.

In Osceola, the use of six compounds would be restricted in some range and pastureland areas, he said. Those substances are listed as acephate, aluminum phosphide, diaxinon, magnesium phosphate, methyl parathion and trichloron.

Marion said a map showing locations in the county where use would be restricted has not been distributed.

Overall, he said, he believes the impact on Florida agriculture will be great due to the large number of endangered species in the state.

''It will have a pretty substantial impact on the way people are doing business in the state,'' he said.

But several EPA spokespeople said it is too early to predict the impact of the rules.

The EPA is rushing to create guidelines which will bring it into compliance with endangered species legislation passed in the mid-1970s, said Larry Turner, project manager of the agency's endangered species labeling project.

''This should have been started 10 years ago. That's why we're in such a hurry,'' he said.

In the past the agency has banned a few pesticides, usually because they were shown to have an adverse effect on human health, he said.

The EPA is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is charting the location of endangered species across the country.

In Osceola, four species have been identified: the Florida grasshopper sparrow, the Everglades snail kite, the wood stork and the Eastern indigo snake.

The pesticides and insecticides believed to be detrimental to those animals would be prohibited on a site-by-site basis, Turner said.

At the current time there are no plans to restrict the use of herbicides in the county, and no fruit or vegetable crops would be affected by the regulations, Turner said.

Special labeling on containers will let buyers know when they need to refer to pesticide-use bulletins available from agricultural extension agents. The bulletins will list the areas in which specific chemicals are prohibited.

Marion said he is skeptical that the EPA has the manpower to enforce the regulations adequately.

''A lot of people don't even follow instructions on the label,'' he said. Cockrell said he is concerned that the EPA has not solicited response from farmers during the time the agency has been developing the regulations.

''I want it opened up,'' he said, ''so people who are affected will have input.''